Fractionation and biological activities of venoms of the Indian scorpions Buthus tamulus and Heterometrus bengalensis
Ramachandran, L.K.; Agarwal, O.P.; Achyuthan, K.E.; Chaudhury, L.; Vedasiromani, J.R.; Ganguly, D.K.
Indian Journal of Biochemistry and Biophysics 23(6): 355-358
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0301-1208 PMID: 3596629 Document Number: 276380
A fractionation method, utilizing carboxymethyl-Sephadex C-25 columns and phosphate buffers, for the constituents of scorpion venoms is presented. Recovery of protein from the column is high, when applied to venoms of the Indian red scorpion Buthus tamulus. The venom of Heterometrus bengalensis species could also be similarly fractionated. The former venom (i.v. LD50, 3.6 mg/kg mouse) yielded two fractions both of which elicited an initial transient hypotensive effect (cholinergic) and a secondary but prolonged hypertensive effect (adrenergic) in the rat. The hypertensive effect was dose-dependent. Both fractions induced 40% mortality in mice at the 1 mg/kg (i.v.) dose level. The same fractions (1-2.5 .mu.g/ml) produced a biphasic contracture of the indirectly stimulated rat diaphragm and one of them (four were active) was very potent in producing contracture of the isolated guinea pig ileum.